The Tokyo Ink Group aims to be sustainable by providing products that communicate, color, and protect.
We aim to contribute broadly to society through two groups of products: products with a reduced environmental impact and products that contribute to society.
Products with a reduced environmental impact
Products that have a reduced environmental impact are those based on the concept of life cycle assessment and developed to conserve resources used in raw materials, save energy in the manufacturing process, and reduce environmental impact.
1．Use of biomass materials
Biomass is a renewable organic resource derived from plants and animals, and by proactively adopting these materials, the Tokyo Ink Group shall contribute to reducing carbon dioxide emissions and petrochemical resource use.
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1. Rice inks :
PULPTECC／LAMITECC
This is an environmentally harmonized gravure ink that utilizes crude oil from inedible rice bran.
Crude rice bran oil is the only domestic biomass raw material, and it uses rice, which Japan is proud to be 100% self-sufficient in (in terms of edible rice).
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2. High biomass Heatset Web offset inks :
Web Actus GAIA® VLC
Although it had previously been difficult to raise the amount of biomass used in Heatset Web offset ink past 60% due to drying performance, we have achieved this and have successfully achieved full-carbon neutrality in terms of the CO2 emitted in the offset printing drying process. -
3. Plastic-free paper inks
Paper packaging needs are increasing in the packaging market, in which there are demands for plastic reduction.
We are able to make proposals for paper packaging materials with various gravure coating agents that can make paper resistant to water and oil, sealable, transparent, or impart other properties.
2．Energy and labor saving
In addition to reducing environmental impact in the design of materials and formulations, we can propose products that contribute to labor and energy savings in response to customer needs along with systems.
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1. Liquid color :
HiFormer®
No heating extrusion is required during coloring masterbatch production, so power consumption can be reduced by up to 98%, wastage during molding can be reduced, and labor savings become possible where molding work is undertaken, thus resulting in a contribution to CO2 emissions reduction in the supply chain. We are able to make proposals utilizing HiFormer along with the Smacof liquid color feeder. -
2. UV Web offset inks / UV waterless sheet-fed inks / UV sheet-fed varnishes
Compared to solvent evaporation drying methods, UV printing, in which the ink instantly cures through exposure to UV irradiation, is becoming increasingly popular due to its low environmental impact and its ease of use. We can make proposals for UV Web offset inks, UV waterless sheet-fed inks, and UV sheet-fed varnishes alongside peripheral equipment as a next-generation technology for CO2 reductions. -
3. Industrial-use inkjet inks :
TIC-JET®
In comparison to conventional printing and coating methods that are suited to high-volume, high-speed production, inkjet printing, with its compact equipment and on-demand output capability, is garnering attention as a next-generation environmentally friendly technology that produces less waste and is energy-saving while requiring no skills.
Through system proposals that incorporate these advantages, TIC-JET® opens up new value.
3．Recycling, biodegradability, mono-materiality
In addition to facilitating the 3Rs, synthetic resin products are required to have a reduced environmental impact, such as being less prone to ending up as marine plastic waste.
The Tokyo Ink Group will work to fulfill needs for recycling and mono-materials in terms of both functional additives kneaded into synthetic resins and gravure-printed coating agents, and will also promote the use of biodegradable resins.
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1. Recycled Molding Auxiliaries / Compatibilizer Masterbatches for Material Recycling
We promote the use of recycled plastics through our development of additives that inhibit the burning and discoloration caused by thermal degradation of recycled synthetic resins in the molding process, additives that facilitate processing, and additives that improve compatibility between different resins during material recycling. -
2. Masterbatches for Biodegradable Resins / Powder Resins
Biodegradable plastics are characterized by their eventual breakdown into water and carbon dioxide, which leads to a reduction in plastic waste compared to plastics derived from conventional fossil resources. As the market for biodegradable plastics is growing, we offer a variety of masterbatches suitable for biodegradable plastics. The Tokyo Ink Group is a member of CLOMA (Japan Clean Ocean Material Alliance), an organization dedicated to resolving the problem of marine plastic waste. -
3. Mono-materialization
In order to contribute to building a sustainable society, there is a growing need for the mono-materialization of packaging that is recyclable and does not require lamination. The Tokyo Ink Group advocates the use of a single material for packaging materials by taking advantage of gravure coating agents and functional masterbatches that impart oxygen barrier properties, light blocking properties, heat resistance, and other such properties.
Products that contribute to society
Products that contribute to society are those developed to help build a society that is safe and comfortable to live in by being highly functional in terms of preventing disasters, securing water resources, contributing to agricultural development, and preventing infectious diseases.
１．Measures against natural disasters
Climate change is advancing on a global scale, and as such there are growing needs for disaster prevention and mitigation.
In Japan, reconstruction projects following the Great East Japan Earthquake resulted in needs for construction methods that have a low environmental impact and require only a short construction period.
Leveraging the synthetic resin technology we have cultivated over many years, the Tokyo Ink Group can make proposals for various types of civil engineering materials and construction methods.
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1. Geocell (Groundcell® / Terracell®) slope protection
Geocell is a soil stabilizing honeycomb structure made of three-dimensionally molded plastic sheets.
Installing Geocell on a slope and adding filling material to it enables both erosion control and greening of the slope.
In comparison to methods that use concrete, Geocell’s light weight reduces the burden of transportation, contributes to lower CO2 emissions, and makes construction easier. Geocell contributes to the restoration of unstable roadside slope surfaces caused by severe rainfall and other such factors.
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2. Cellanchor® / Celljoint®
We have developed the products Celljoint® to allow Geocells to be easily connected to each other on site and the plastic Cellanchor® to replace reinforced steel anchors used on site to improve the ease of engineering work. This replacement of metal with recycled resin by Cellanchor® means there is no need to be concerned about corrosion due to rust after installation, and used plastic products can be recycled and turned into resources while at the same time improving safety. -
3. Development of construction methods
We have developed a new construction method called the Groundcell® Crushed Stone Pavement Method that uses Geocells and registered it on the NETIS new technology utilization system run by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and we are developing environmentally friendly products for use in the development of robust infrastructure, disaster prevention, and disaster mitigation.
2．Safety and peace of mind in everyday life
By imparting film with functions such as freshness retention and UV absorption, we help extend the shelf life of food products and contribute to the reduction of food waste.
We are also able to make proposals for antiviral, antimicrobial, and other such properties from both perspectives of synthetic resin additives and coating agents.
We also handle medical grade materials and make wide-ranging contributions to society through our functional materials.
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1. Antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral Gravure coating agents Antimicrobial varnish SCP
In response to needs to prevent infections, we have developed products that impart functionality through coatings and synthetic resin materials.
Our gravure coating agents conform to the standards for displaying the Society of International sustaining growth for Antimicrobial Articles (SIAA) mark.
Antimicrobial varnish SCP uses an antimicrobial agent derived from discarded scallop shells, and can be applied with a simple varnish coater.
Antimicrobial masterbatches inhibit bacterial growth through the kneading of heat-resistant and highly safe silver-based inorganic compounds into synthetic resins. -
2. Freshness retaining masterbatches/UV absorbing masterbatches
We contribute to extending food shelf life and reducing food waste by making film that adsorbs carbon dioxide, moisture, and ethylene gas released from fresh fruit and vegetables, and adding a UV cut function to film keeps fruit and vegetables fresh for longer periods of time. -
3. Medical-grade masterbatches
We can offer proposals for synthetic resin that is compliant with the latest edition of international quality standards for medical devices. Our pelletizing process in a class 100,000 or lower cleanroom environment enables us to supply high-quality products, thus contributing to a stable supply of medical packaging and materials.
We also produce highly breathable, virus-barrier films that can be used in chemical protective clothing and surgical gowns.
3．Functionalities
From water resources and agricultural materials to radiation measurement resins, the Tokyo Ink Group’s products contribute to society in a wide range of fields.
At Tokyo Printing Ink, we will work on the development of products to meet the changing needs of society and to realize a sustainable society.
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1. Water treatment materials
The Tokyo Ink Group’s Netlon® is a net that is widely used for fruit and vegetables.
Leveraging the molding technology we use to manufacture this product, we are concentrating resources into the development of materials for water treatment.
In response to an increase in orders for product development, we have established a system that can handle everything from mold design to prototype evaluation. -
2. EK Energy Keeper®
Heat and light have a major impact on the production of crops in greenhouses.
By combining a range of materials with special seams, EK Energy Keeper® creates a multi-layered heat insulating covering material (futon material) with outstanding light blocking and heat insulation properties. This makes it suitable for crops that are sensitive to heat and light, and it is extremely workable thanks to its light weight. It contributes to a significant year-round reduction in cooling and heating costs, and also contributes to a reduction in environmental impact ([Strategy for Sustainable Food Systems, MIDORI] EK promotion project, certified by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) -
3. Luminade®
We have developed plastic scintillators for radiation measurement by utilizing the plastics processing technology that we have built up.
Liquid scintillators in common use leave a radioactive liquid (cocktail) after measurement, and this poses a problem in terms of handling. Luminade has enabled the measurement of radiation without a cocktail. The cocktail-less plastic scintillator also contributes to waste reduction by allowing reuse of measurement vials (Award for Contribution to Dissemination of Nuclear Knowledge and Technology, Atomic Energy Society of Japan, FY2017).